Petco Park will host half marathon

The San Diego Half Marathon, which will start adjacent to Petco Park and finish around the ballpark warning track, will debut on March 11. The finish line will be near home plate.

The exact route has not been determined, but the 13.1-mile course is expected to be predominantly flat. The initial cost is $90.

“Petco Park was built go be a community asset for everyone in San Diego to enjoy,” Padres president Tom Garfinkel said in a prepared statement. “The race will showcase the ballpark’s unique beauty in a different way.”

Organizers are anticipating the new race will draw 7,500 entrants. If it reaches that figure, the San Diego Half Marathon would be the second largest in the county, exceeded only by the Dodge Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon.

On a percentage basis, the half marathon has been the fastest-growing race distance in the United States every year since 2003. Based on entrants, the half marathon became the second most popular race in the United States in 2010, exceeded only by the 5K.

In 2009 and 2010, race participation grew by 24 percent each year. In 1990, there were 303,000 finishers in U.S. half marathons. By 2010, that figure ballooned to 1,380,000.

“It is booming, there’s no doubt about it,” said Ryan Lamppa, *cq a researcher for Running USA, an industry nonprofit.

Lamppa listed three reasons for the half marathon’s growth.

“It’s marathon light,” he said. “It’s long enough that it’s a challenge, yet you don’t have to put in as much training time. Second, if you’re doing a marathon, it’s recommended that you do a half before the marathon.

“And there are some people who are done with the marathon. They say, ‘I’m one and done’ and are moving down. Then there’s the grizzled vet who’s moving down to the half.”

Paul Greer, who heads the San Diego Track Club’s marathon and half marathon training programs, feels the local running community can support another half marathon.

“Only because there’s enough people in the community who are gung-ho on doing the half,” he said.

Greer, though, said the race may not meet its goal of 7,500 runners. The race is sandwiched between the San Dieguito (Feb. 12) and the La Jolla Half (April 29).

“I think you’re challenging the consumer, forcing them to make choices with traditional races,” he said.

The San Diego Marathon will benefit three charities: the Huntington’s Disease Society of America; the National Foundation for Autism Research; and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The San Diego Half Marathon features online training programs. For more information, log onto info@sdhalfmarthon.com.